Pathfinder Adventure Path #80: Empty Graves (Mummy’s Mask 2 of 6) (PFRPG)

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Pathfinder Adventure Path #80: Empty Graves (Mummy’s Mask 2 of 6) (PFRPG)
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Chapter 2: "Empty Graves"
By Crystal Frasier

Following the opening of its necropolis, the city of Wati is overrun by hordes of the unquiet dead. The heroes must once more brave the abandoned streets and dusty tombs of Wati’s necropolis in search of the powerful artifact called the Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh, as well as the necromancer who is using it to create the undead uprising. But mysterious masked cultists also seek the artifact so they can bring a pharaoh from the ancient past back to life. Can the heroes defeat the evil necromancer and return the deceased to their graves, or will Wati truly become a city of the dead?

This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path continues the Mummy’s Mask Adventure Path and includes:

  • "Empty Graves,” a Pathfinder adventure for 4th-level characters, by Crystal Frasier.
  • A double-sized article that peers into the gods and faiths of Ancient Osirion, by Rob McCreary.
  • A terror-filled night in a family tomb in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Amber E. Scott.
  • Four desert-dwelling monsters, by Crystal Frasier, Thurston Hillman, and Will McCardell.

Each monthly full-color softcover Pathfinder Adventure Path volume contains an in-depth adventure scenario, stats for several new monsters, and support articles meant to give Game Masters additional material to expand their campaign. Pathfinder Adventure Path volumes use the Open Game License and work with both the Pathfinder RPG and the world’s oldest fantasy RPG.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-589-1

Empty Graves is sanctioned for use in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. The rules for running this Adventure Path and Chronicle sheet are available as a free download (595 KB zip/PDF).

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

Note: This product is part of the Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscription.

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This product is non-mint. Refunds are not available for non-mint products. The standard version of this product can be found here.

Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at store@paizo.com.

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Great story and writing - poor quality physical product

4/5

I really enjoy the pace and the writing. PCs had a constant need to keep them motivated and were well rewarded for their roleplaying.

Unfortunately, the physical product was very poor. The glue binding the pages was very weak and the pages fell out of their binding, just by being turned (I found this from a fair few paizo books from APs of this time)


Gave Me Everything I Was Looking For

5/5

As per the title, this book of the AP did a great job of providing in a single AP volume that I was looking for in a Egyptian-flavored AP. We got tons of undead to fight, a mysterious cult on the loose, and solving massive puzzles (that are well done!). I especially appreciated the more urban setting of this book, as it brought to mind some of the fun sequences of The Mummy and The Mummy Returns.


Ghoulishly good adventure

4/5

I will start by saying I approach whats written in the AP books are a framework by which I add or subtract bits here and there and shift them around to fit the backgrounds of my player characters. I ran it for a group of 6 PCs online. As such, I'll approach this review with a pros and cons framework.

PRO:
The idea of an undead outbreak throughout the city is a very fun premise. And the encounters written for this are loose enough that you can use what you like and add more with ease. I think I ended up using most of their ideas.
Many of the encounters in the outbreak could be resolved by non-combat means.
The Adventure starts with a scene that can give the PCs a chance to go to a party and interact with a variety of NPCs.
The Necropolis is an interesting setting once the adventure moves there. This adventure allows the PCs to investigate a variety of spots in and around it.
The idea of ghoul drug dealers was brilliant!

CONS:
The final fight proved deadly and almost led to a TPK.
The use of red herrings can cause a lot of confusion among the group. Also the politics within the Church of Pharasma doesn't seem to be particularly well flushed out. I felt like I was missing something important there.

So far Mummy's Mask has been a delight.


Empty Graves

2/5

After running the exceptional book 1 this was unfortunately a bit of a let down for me. I found it too much of a sand box with a scattering of potential encounters for the GM to use. I'd have much more enjoyed something a kin to how the first book played out with a set plotline and consecutive locations.

However, following it's completion my players said they really enjoyed it because there was a lot more role-play opportunities among both the human NPC's and monster encounters that they could diplomacy or talk their way through.


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Webstore Gninja Minion

Announced! Cover image is a mockup.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

WE'RE NOT WORTHY!

Dark Archive

You're not worthy, Bagsy! We, the Chelaxians and Faithful of Asmodeus, are worthy!


Speak for yourself, Old Windbag, I'm entirely worthy.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Awesome! I can't wait to see how Crystal kicks up another notch!

Contributor

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Yay, Crystal!


Sounds epic, once again!


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Product description wrote:
But a group of mysterious masked cultists also seeks the artifact to bring a pharaoh from the ancient past back to life.

Ohoho! Could this mysterious cult be

Spoiler:
The Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye?
My tinfoil hat points to "Yes"!

Looking forward to AP soooooo much.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

So far everything is looking good for a 1920's pulp adventure set in Egypt.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

gonna leave this here for egyptian themed class here


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

GODS!!!!

Dark Archive

Kajehase wrote:
Speak for yourself, Old Windbag, I'm entirely worthy.

No, you're definitely not; you're just a savage and a heathen from the Land of the Linnorm Kings!


10 people marked this as a favorite.
Adventure Path #79 description wrote:
In Wati, the half city, the church of Pharasma holds a lottery allowing explorers to delve the tombs of the city’s vast necropolis in search of the nation’s lost glories.
Me : "That seems like a terrible idea."
Adventure Path #80 description wrote:
Following the opening of its necropolis, the city of Wati is overrun by hordes of the unquiet dead.

Yep, I was right ...


Wow, how did I miss this one yesterday.

The Exchange

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Wonderful.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

Reptilian wrote:
Me : "That seems like a terrible idea."

Ironically the Ruby Prince, Khemet III, implemented this policy six years ago and he doesn't have your objection on file. ;-D

I say that in jest, but that is accurate to the timeline in the Inner Sea Guide. Wati was something of a hold out, draw whatever conclusions you may from that.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Asgetrion wrote:
Kajehase wrote:
Speak for yourself, Old Windbag, I'm entirely worthy.
No, you're definitely not; you're just a savage and a heathen from the Land of the Linnorm Kings!

You don't really think we're bothered by what bald devil-kissing dwarves think, do you?

...maybe we've left Vyre unlooted for too long.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

and it just keeps sounding better and better! ALL HAIL EMPRESS CRYSTAL FRASIER!!

The Exchange

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

I am curious. Why spend 2 parts of the AP in the same city? Is Wati really that big? Do the players focus more on the living part of the city than the dead?


2 people marked this as a favorite.

Staying in a relatively focused area in an AP is a good thing.

Travel APs suck. The less travel, the better. (Yes, there are some exceptions, blah blah blah... Savage Tide and uh... uh... [not Kingmaker, since I consider that 'focused in one area']... still thinking...)


I like travel actually. So far I'm enjoying the 3rd book of Jade Regent. WotR also has some good travelling sequences. But I also like adventures that stay in one spot for a couple of adventures.

The Exchange

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Well, there is travel in the same country like Carrion Crown which isn't so bad. Then there is...well Jade Regent and Serpents Skull.

I'm down with somethin glike Shattered Star where they run back and forth over west and central Varisa.

Just curious. One CITY seems a lot, but I guess it could be like Crimson Throne.


agnelcow wrote:
Product description wrote:
But a group of mysterious masked cultists also seeks the artifact to bring a pharaoh from the ancient past back to life.

Ohoho! Could this mysterious cult be ** spoiler omitted ** My tinfoil hat points to "Yes"!

Looking forward to AP soooooo much.

I really doubt, or at least hope, that it is not them. My guess is a cult of the Ancient Osirion gods - considering their worship is being brought back in this campaign, it makes more sense than the guys you said, who are more interested in other things than bringing back the dead. In fact, these very same people OPPOSE a cult of necromancers in their home nation.

Still, I do hope the Order makes an appearance.. just not as the mask-wearing necromantic cultists. I would be greatly disappointed if that were the case.

Also.. why does this have so many similarities to my Road to Damnation campaign?! Masked Cultists, rival adventuring parties, ancient tombs.. ancient artifacts.. stop stealing my ideas!

Just kidding, carry on.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Arnwyn wrote:

Staying in a relatively focused area in an AP is a good thing.

Travel APs suck. The less travel, the better. (Yes, there are some exceptions, blah blah blah... Savage Tide and uh... uh... [not Kingmaker, since I consider that 'focused in one area']... still thinking...)

Jade Regent is a good travel AP.

The travel APs that don't work are the ones that try to get the players to connect heavily with a place before the plot train takes them from that place to either never return, or return after the place has been busted up by bad guys.


DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
Arnwyn wrote:

Staying in a relatively focused area in an AP is a good thing.

Travel APs suck. The less travel, the better. (Yes, there are some exceptions, blah blah blah... Savage Tide and uh... uh... [not Kingmaker, since I consider that 'focused in one area']... still thinking...)

Jade Regent is a good travel AP.

The travel APs that don't work are the ones that try to get the players to connect heavily with a place before the plot train takes them from that place to either never return, or return after the place has been busted up by bad guys.

I actually like the latter (Curse of the Crimson Throne) as a player. Has this "Prodigal Son Returns to Save the Day" feel to it. It's like when Simba comes back to pride rock after Scar has screwed everything over. But, as a player, I don't mind sometimes where things go to s$@+ and we have to retreat and regroup. I think it adds some good drama to the game and for me, it's fun and victory is all the more sweet when you come back in and save the town.

However, I'll agree with the first one. That was a huge issue with Second Darkness.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Odraude wrote:
DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
Arnwyn wrote:

Staying in a relatively focused area in an AP is a good thing.

Travel APs suck. The less travel, the better. (Yes, there are some exceptions, blah blah blah... Savage Tide and uh... uh... [not Kingmaker, since I consider that 'focused in one area']... still thinking...)

Jade Regent is a good travel AP.

The travel APs that don't work are the ones that try to get the players to connect heavily with a place before the plot train takes them from that place to either never return, or return after the place has been busted up by bad guys.

I actually like the latter (Curse of the Crimson Throne) as a player. Has this "Prodigal Son Returns to Save the Day" feel to it. It's like when Simba comes back to pride rock after Scar has screwed everything over. But, as a player, I don't mind sometimes where things go to s&+! and we have to retreat and regroup. I think it adds some good drama to the game and for me, it's fun and victory is all the more sweet when you come back in and save the town.

However, I'll agree with the first one. That was a huge issue with Second Darkness.

I like Curse of the Crimson Throne as well, but if I had my druthers I would remove Skeletons of Scarwall (even though it's a stronger adventure than A History of Ashes), because two books is just too long a time to be gone from the city.

uh... /end tangent.

In any case I'm glad that this AP will be a bit more focused on a single area/region.


DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
I like Curse of the Crimson Throne as well, but if I had my druthers I would remove Skeletons of Scarwall (even though it's a stronger adventure than A History of Ashes), because two books is just too long a time to be gone from the city.

I've considered relocating Scarwall into/near Korvosa for similar reasons.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

So, uh... anyone else super stoked to read about the gods of ancient Osirion?


I am also really interested in the gods of ancient Osirion.


Yes, I too am interested in the ancient Osirion gods! I wonder how many we'll get in the gazeteer.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Yep! Very interested -slowpoke.jpg-

I wondered if they're tied to any of the major deities worshiped there, or just prefer the Osiriani people (or combination of both)! :3


That is one scary sphinx face in the background of the cover mock up!

Liberty's Edge

Congrats to Crystal...really looking forward to reading this one.

Liberty's Edge

Filby Pott wrote:
So, uh... anyone else super stoked to read about the gods of ancient Osirion?

I can't help wondering whether they will be legitimate sources of worship for PCs - i.e., would it be worth waiting until we have this information to begin play, in case a player wants to make a cleric, paladin, inquisitor or warpriest of one of these gods?

Sovereign Court Senior Developer

5 people marked this as a favorite.

The Osirian gods can be worshiped by PCs - they are full gods, but they have a more regional focus, and so are not as popular as the core 20 gods. In addition, the AP assumes that these gods are most likely not worshiped by the PCs - most references to the Osirian gods in the AP, in tombs and ruins, point to their past worship. However, there are people in modern-day Osirion who still worship those gods, and a PC could also worship them. As to whether to wait to start the AP until this volume is out, that's up to you, and whether you think your players would be interested in being a cleric of one of the gods.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Rob McCreary wrote:
The Osirian gods can be worshiped by PCs - they are full gods, but they have a more regional focus, and so are not as popular as the core 20 gods. In addition, the AP assumes that these gods are most likely not worshiped by the PCs - most references to the Osirian gods in the AP, in tombs and ruins, point to their past worship. However, there are people in modern-day Osirion who still worship those gods, and a PC could also worship them. As to whether to wait to start the AP until this volume is out, that's up to you, and whether you think your players would be interested in being a cleric of one of the gods.

Perfect - it was a bit of head-canon of mine that some deities might prefer to be worshipped by a certain region/people than the larger deities. :3


how many The Osirian gods will be detailed

Sovereign Court Senior Developer

5 people marked this as a favorite.

There are 20 gods detailed for Ancient Osirion, but like the core 20 Pathfinder gods, these are just the major ones, so there are likely others as well (just not in this article).


When will the cover be updated?


Soon

Shadow Lodge

Just curious. I can't seem to find which deity gets an article in this one. Or is the Egyptian one replacing that? :(

Scarab Sages

Sounds like the Egyptian pantheon is replacing the standard deity article, which I'm fine with; we're getting 20 instead of one and that's ok. Besides, we're going to get enough of the other deities in Inner Sea Gods.


Rob McCreary wrote:
The Osirian gods can be worshiped by PCs - they are full gods, but they have a more regional focus, and so are not as popular as the core 20 gods. In addition, the AP assumes that these gods are most likely not worshiped by the PCs - most references to the Osirian gods in the AP, in tombs and ruins, point to their past worship. However, there are people in modern-day Osirion who still worship those gods, and a PC could also worship them. As to whether to wait to start the AP until this volume is out, that's up to you, and whether you think your players would be interested in being a cleric of one of the gods.

I am SO going to play a Paladin of Ra it isn't even funny.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
DM Beckett wrote:
Just curious. I can't seem to find which deity gets an article in this one. Or is the Egyptian one replacing that? :(

The 'New Deity article in the second & fourth issue of the AP' Cycle pretty much ended when we got all of the 'core 20' Deity articles done. Now we get them when we get them, which is when it is applicable to the AP in question. In RoW, we got Milani in the second issue, yes; but we got Suzurial in the fifth. WotR, we didn't get one until the third issue & that was a philosophy not an actual deity (Green Faith), we also got a faith article for Baphomet in the fifth...

Which is kind of ironic, given that there is a definite possibly even if not a likelyhood of the PC's permanently slaying him.


Irnk, Dead-Eye's Prodigal wrote:


Which is kind of ironic, given that there is a definite possibly even if not a likelyhood of the PC's permanently slaying him.

It does make sense if you want to use him as a villain outside WoTR. He is, after all, a demon lord and master of secret societies. Sounds like good BBEG material to me.


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Cover Update?

.......................How about now?


I hope to see a lot of alive-creatures roaming between the humanoid dead ones in this one.


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Will the religious magic items from the original Osirian Land of Pharaohs book be stated out and updated?


What is it about these magic items that need an update?


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

They refer to the worship of Wadjet and Apep as LN and CN respectively, when more updated volumes have them as LG and CE. how would they interact with their NG and NE worshipers? and how are they in relations to the rod of the python (NG) and the rod of the viper(NE)?

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